PSPINC CEO Kenichi Uchikura's Blog

Fresh Vegetables are Expensive ...

3月

20日

This package of vegetable contains just enough for small salad for one person. But the price is 298yen ... That is about $3.80. This is one expensive package of vegetable. This has nothing to do with earthquake ... Maybe there is not need for price gouging here in Japan.

There was a report of gas station charging as much as 200yen per litter. The average here is about 155 to 160 yen per litter. Considering how strong Japanese yen is, gas price here is very expensive.

#Life #Politics #Society

Vietnam Foods are Expensive in Japan

3月

20日

Vietnamese Fresh Spring Roll is $4.00 a piece. How much wait it in seattle?

#Life #Politics #Society

Same Advertisements

3月

20日

During this crisis in Japan, many for-profit corporations have stop their TV advertisements. So, TV stations have nothing to broadcast for their spots. So, they have elected to broadcast public service messages from the government of Japan. It is called AC (ADVERTISING COUNCIL) ads.

Because they have only a handful of AC ads at a time, same ads are running so many times and people in Japan are just sick of them.

#Entertainment #TV

Japanese Nuclear Power Plants

3月

20日

World is now focused on Fukushima Daiichi (No.1) power plants. There are 6 power plants and people are now focusing on 1, 2, 3 and 4. On this picture, 1 lis on the right and 4 is on the left.

Here is something you might nor know. (This may not be true.)

The Power 1 and 3 are developed by Toshiba.
The Power 2 and 4 are developed by Hitachi.

Both power plants are based on the same design. In addition to Tokyo Electric Employees, there are many people from Toshiba and Hitachi and other companies are at the site. There are over hundred people there.

The overall mood here is that the nuclear disaster is being avoided. I hope so.

#Life #Politics #Society

Osaka is like a different country.

3月

20日

I arrived in Osaka yesterday. Osaka is about 400 miles southwest of Tokyo and this is like different country. There is no damage here, there is no shortage of power. People here are still very concerned about what is going on.

The picture is Mt. Fuji. I took it from the train moving 150 miles per hour.

#Life #Politics #Society

I am traveling to Kobe

3月

18日

I am moving from Tokyo to Kobe today. This is the way this trip was planned. Today is the first day of the three day weekend.

#Travel

Empty Hotel

3月

18日

Usually there are many flags flying at the entrance of the hotel I am staying. When dignitaries stay at the hotel, they fly the country's flags. But today, hotel has no flag what so ever ... No dignitary wanted to stay n Tokyo.

#Life #Politics #Society

Thank you!

3月

18日

http://www.pspinc.com/japanrelief

You have raised more than $50,000 to Japan Earthquake and Pacific Tsunami fund of American Red Cross. Thank you. PSPINC matched $20,000 on top of that. So, together we have raised over $70,000 in just a few days.

#Life #Politics #Society

Shibuya ... People are not out.

3月

17日

I did not see many people out. People are not trusting the government announcement about no health risk due to the radiation fall out from Fukushima Nuclear power plants.

#Beauty #Health

Another source of information

3月

16日

People are getting information from TV, Radio, Internet. Even the moving tickers where usually displays the stock prices are showing what is happening.

In Tokyo downtown, there is a shortage of batteries. A, AA, AAA batteries are nowhere to be seen. Also, external batteries for cellular phone are sold out.